Magazine loader



Nov. 23, 95@ J. J. BILoDEAu 2,53I,387

MAGAZINE LOADER Filed Dec. 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l Anchai EI "ff-fi I EI Joseph T I Bilncfeau NOV- 28, 195@ J. J. BlLoDr-:AU 2,53387 .MAGAZINE LOADER Filed Dec. 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /6\ lll l Jmsep'h. T T'. Bilodeau.

J. J. BILODEAU MAGAZINE LOADER Nov. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 6, 1945 Tmseph J'. Elilnd'e au.

Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention, described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for loading so-called cartridge magazines with ammunition for firearms.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus whereby a box magazin-e for a firearm, such as a U. S. Army Carbine cal. .30, Ml or a U. S. Browning Automatic Rifle, may be rapidly loaded with cartridges in one convenient operation so as to be ready for assembly to the firearm for ring the same. One of the novel features of the invention is that the apparatus is particularly adapted to load a double row of cartridges into a magazine That is to say, it is possible by means of this apparatus to load the proper number of cartridges rapidly and easily, in a staggered double-row relationship, into a magazine of the type used in the U. S. Army Carbine and Rie referred to.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a magazine-loading apparatus of the class described which is simple in form so as to be easy and economical to manufacture and capable of facile handling and operation so that the magazines may be loaded in the field without difficulty.

The specific nature of the invention as well as 5 other objects and advantages thereof will more clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the loading device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device as seen from the opposite side.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5 is a similar view taken along lines 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the handle member.

Fig 8 is a perspective detail of the top of the cartridge slot.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken along lines 9 9 of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which a cartridge slides in the slot.

There is a substantially horizontal base member 2 which rigidly supports a pair of spaced upright or bracket members 4 and 6. One of the brackets, such as 6, preferably is longer than the other 2 member 4, so as to extend to a greater distance than the other above the base.

Extending upwardly from the base and between the uprights 4 and 6 is a vertical member 8 of. substantially greater height than the brackets and this is provided on its inner side with longitudinal lips IU which extend inwardly towards one another substantially throughout the length of the member to form a vertical T-shaped channel I2. This channel I2 is open at the top thereof for receiving cartridges and the bottom of channel I2 communicates with a magazine-receiving chamber I4 which is created by the previously mentioned disposition of members 2, 4, and 6. Thus, the vertical member 8 is arranged to act as a cartridge-feed member for supporting a vertical stack of cartridges with the rims thereof engaged by lips I0.

Rearwardly of, and in spaced parallelism with, the member 8 is what may be called a slide member IB. This slide I6 is in the form of a rod held in position in any convenient manner and it has a bracket-like follower I8 slidable vertically thereon or Irup and down with respect to the chamber I4. The follower I8 is likewise rotatable on the slide rod I6, having a handle 20 whereby the vertical slidable movements thereof, are facilitated and also whereby the follower may be manually swung or pivoted in horizontal planes toward and away from the top of the chamber for reasons to be brought out Extending tangentially from the follower I8 is a finger-like member 2| which has a horizontallyextending ledge-like projection 22 disposed at right angles to the channel-member 8. The latter member preferably is provided with a pair of lateral slots 24 which permit projection 22 to pass into the cartridge stack, the lower slot 24 being spaced above the base a distance which is approximately the length or height of one of the magazines to be filled while the upper slot 24 is spaced a distance above the lower one equivalent to the stack height of the magazine load of cartridges.

The magazine is shown at M in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 where it is in position for receiving a plurality of the cartridges C shown stacked thereabove in cartridge feed member 8. Magazine M is of course provided with the conventional spring biased follower (not shown) which serves to prevent any of the cartridges from entering the magazine unless forced therein by the downward movement of member I8. An upper stop 26 is disposed opposite the upper slot 24 to stop upward movement of follower I8 at the point where projection 22 may pass into upper slot 24. The length of follower I8 is proportioned so that when follower I8 rests on base 2, the projection 22 may pass into lower slot 24.

In operation, the cartridges C are fed in a vertical row into the top of the channel of feed member 8 in some suitable manner while the operating or follower member I8 is disposed in its lowermost position with its finger part ZI extending into the lower slot 2li. An empty magazine M is then slipped into chamber I4. The follower I8 is then pivoted tol remove projection 22 from the bottom of the stack, then the follower I8 is raised to upper stop 26 and again pivoted to bring projection 22 back into the stack. The follower I8 is of such rigid construction that by downward pressure thereon in a single stroke the number of cartridges C which are disposed in the feed member between the upper and lower slots 213; are automatically forced into the magazine M, whereupon, of course, the loaded magazine can be readily re- Inoved and an empty one inserted for filling.

It will be noted that just the proper number of" cartridges to ll the magazine are cut off from the vertical row thereof in the feedway merely by swinging the follower outwardly on its pivot, raising it upwardly so that the finger is horizontally aligned with the upper slot 26, and then swinging. it inwardly on its pivot so that the ledgei22' wedges between the topmost cartridge ofthe proper number thereof andthe remainder of the stack, which is determined by the distance between the two slots, as stated.

lAsthe follower is moved downwardly in. a plunger-like fashion and the cartridges therebelow. are forced into the magazine, the cartridges in the row above the said proper numberthen automatically kdrop downwardly due to the gravity and come to rest on the'nger-.member 4 2|. Then the lled magazine is removed while the operating member I8 is still in what may be called its lower closing position and a new and empty magazine is put in the receiving chamber.

Thereupon, the follower member I8 may be swung out and upwardly to a point where the nger may cut oi another magazine-group of cartridges from the long vertical row thereof which is being constantly fed into the channel of the feed member.

I claim:

A magazine loading apparatus comprising in combination, a base, a feed member mounted on said base and provided with a vertical channel adapted to support avertical stack of cartridges, said base and feed member being arranged to provide a magazine-receiving chamber in communication with said vertical channel, a vertically-extending slide member mounted on said base in substantial parallelism with said feed member, and a follower member slidably vertically on said slide member between a lower position adjacent the top of said chamber and an upper position at a distance thereabove equivalent to the stack height of magazine load oi cartridges, said follower member also being pivoted on said slide member and having a linger-like projection constructed and arranged to pivot into said channel to divide the magazine load of cartridges from the stack and force such divided cartridges downwardly into the magazine consecutively.

JOSEPH VJ.. BILODEAU.

Name Date Garand April 4, 1944:l

Number 

